A better office leads to a better working environment

A positive workplace culture and a strong, reliable team usually can’t be achieved without a healthy working environment.  Your office should be a place where your entire staff can come together and feel like who they are, as individuals, it matters, and there’s no better way to do this than through your working environment.

If you can manage to create a working environment that says, “We care about how you feel,” then you will build up happier, healthier employees who can more effectively connect with one another and work together.

But this environment isn’t a one-and-done type of thing.  It requires an investment of time and money, as well as the persistence and dedication to maintain this standard of working.  It involves a variety of factors that contribute to the how, when, and where of your employees’ working lives.

However, at the end of the day, it should still be looked upon as an investment – one that will undoubtedly pay off.

Here are a few helpful suggestions to get your office up to a better standard of working and living.

Transform where you work.

The ‘where’ matters a lot more than you might think.  Everything from the lighting and the color of the walls to the furnishings and the decorations can have a significant impact on how your employees feel throughout the day.

Consider the differences between Home Depot and Lowes.  Even though the prices might be lower at Home Depot, the lighting isn’t as bright, the floors aren’t as clean, and the temperature isn’t as welcoming – which might make the higher prices at Lowes suddenly seem not so bad.

If you feel this way, how do you think their employees feel?  Odds are, the feelings aren’t that great, which is maybe why they aren’t always so helpful.

Moving forward, think:

• Green plants
• Good lighting
• Low-wavelength colors (like blue or green)
• More windows

Transform how you work.

How you work, or what you work with, greatly impacts the overall mood and atmosphere of your office.  Are your tools ergonomically sound and is your technology reliable?  If not, it might be time for a face-lift.

Consider these possibilities:

• Sit-to-stand desks to encourage less sitting and more moving
• Ergonomic chairs and keyboards to promote better posture
• Dual monitors to increase efficiency and decrease stress
• Outsourced IT to limit downtime and internal frustrations
• Regular hardware maintenance to build a more reliable infrastructure

These are just a few of the ways you can transform your working environment to create healthier, stronger employees.  If you want more tips, feel free to reach out to us.  We’d be happy to help you out.